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American Airlines adds 4 routes, new destination in latest regional expansion

April 30, 2021
2 min read
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American Airlines adds 4 routes, new destination in latest regional expansion
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Small regional airports are big winners in American's latest adjustment to its network.

The Fort Worth-based carrier will load four new flights over the weekend, two of which connect to a new dot on its route map, according to American spokesperson Nichelle Barrett.

Columbus, Georgia (CSG) — the new destination — lands service from two of American's largest hubs, Charlotte (CLT) and Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW). Both flights will be operated by regional aircraft, a CRJ-700 from CLT and a CRJ-900 from DFW.

Despite technically being branded as a new destination, AA last served Columbus nearly a decade ago. Cirium schedules show that American flew two daily flights between DFW and CSG from July 2010 to June 2013, before pulling out of the city entirely. That left Delta as the sole carrier serving CSG, with multiple daily flights from its Atlanta fortress hub.

Now, the two rivals will go head-to-head for traffic, as both will funnel local passengers through their respective hubs to other domestic and international destinations.

Elsewhere, American is adding service to two existing cities. The first, El Paso, Texas (ELP), will get a new route from Charlotte, bringing American's total number of nonstop options to five. American will deploy a Boeing 737-800 for the 1,482-mile flight.

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The carrier already serves ELP from four hubs, Chicago (ORD), Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW), Los Angeles (LAX) and Phoenix (PHX), per Cirium schedules. By adding Charlotte, the carrier can blanket El Paso with plenty of connectivity across the country.

More AA growth: 17 new routes for the summer

Upstate New York is also getting a new AA route. The carrier's American Eagle subsidiary will connect Dallas/Fort Worth (DFW) and Syracuse (SYR) with an Embraer 175. This also technically represents a service resumption for American, as Cirium schedules show American last flew the route from August 2005 to September 2008.

DFW will become the carrier's longest flight from Syracuse. In addition to DFW, the carrier has flights scheduled to Boston (BOS), Charlotte (CLT), Chicago (ORD), Philadelphia (PHL) and Washington Reagan National (DCA).

With a new flight to DFW, the carrier can offer broader connectivity for Syracuse-based flyers heading to points across the country, as well as those booking short- and long-haul international trips.

The new routes will be available for sale on May 3, and they all launch on Aug. 17.

Featured image by ZACH GRIFF/THE POINTS GUY
Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

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Why We Chose It

There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)

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  • 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
  • Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
  • Solid welcome bonus

Cons

  • Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
  • Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
  • You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
  • Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
  • Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
  • $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
  • $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
  • $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
  • $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
  • Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
  • No Foreign Transaction Fees.
  • Annual Fee is $325.
  • Terms Apply.